Aerosol can construction

ABSTRACT

An aerosol dispenser comprising a sealed container containing a plurality of compartments, each possessing a different dispensable material. A dip tube positioned in the container having radial inlet openings extending through it. Rotation of the dip tube about its axis aligns the inlet openings with ports which communicate with the compartments so a selected combination of materials can be dispensed.

1 Mar. 27, 1973 finite States atent Fox, .111.

3,198,394 8/1965 Lefer..... 3,568,888 3/1971 3,518,018

[54] AEROSOL CAN CONSTRUCTION Bald'qni L o o W Primary Examiner-RobertB. Reeves [22 Filed:

Assistant Examiner-Larry H. Martin [21] Appl. No.: 68,993 Attorney-Hume,Clement, Hume & Lee

ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. ..................222/94, 222/136, 222/144.5

An aerosol dispenser comprising a sealed container Int. 35/22 .222/94,132,135,136, 144.5,

containing a plurality of compartments, each pos- [58] Field ofSearch...

sessing a different dispensable material. A dip tube 222/145 394;239/305 337; positioned in the container having radial inlet 401/44-47,190; 25l/208,210, 289, 290; openings extending through it. Rotation ofthe dip 137/605, 606, 607, 625.4, 625.41, 625.42,

tube about its axis aligns the inlet openings with ports 625.46

which communicate with the compartments so a selected combination ofmaterials can be dispensed.

[56] 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 8 DrawingFigures 3,596,802 8/1971 Feldman............1..........;.......222/135PATENTEEHARNUB $722,750

sum 2 OF 2 fldf/ff 5,43

1 AEROSOL CAN CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION to contain anddispense a single material or mixture of materials.

Recently, however, dispensers have appeared which contain two materialsseparately and are designed to dispense them simultaneously. Examples ofsuch dispensers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,217,936 and 3,325,056.Other recently developed dispensers, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat.Nos 3,198,394 and 3,366,279, contain a plurality of materials separatelyand are designed to separately dispense one or another of the materials,selectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an aerosol dispenser which contains a plurality of materials inseparate compartments and is designed to selectively dispensecombinations of these materials. It is another object to provide anaerosol dispenser of this type which affords selectivity of dispensedmaterials and material combinations in varying degrees of ratios bymerely rotating the dispensing nozzle assembly of the dispenser.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accord with theinvention by providing an aerosol dispenser comprising sealed containermeans having at least two separate compartments. Each compartmentcontains different dispensable material. A dip tube, having an axialbore and radial inlet openings extending through the tube into the axialbore, is positioned in the container. Thetube is rotatable about itsmajor axis whereby the inlet openings are selectively aligned with portscommunicating with each of the compartments. The inlet openings in thedip tube and the ports communicating with the compartments are arrangedso that a selected combination of materials can be dispensed through anozzle assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view insection of an aerosol dispenser embodying features of a first form ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in section of a fragmentary portion ofthe aerosol dispenser of FIG. 1 showing the valve means in an openposition;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view in section of an aerosol dispenserembodying features of a second form of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view ofthe dispenser of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG..7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view ofa fragmentary portion of an aerosoldispenser embodying a modified form of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an aerosol dispenser embodyingfeatures of a first form of the present invention is illustratedgenerally at 10. The aerosol dispenser 10 includes an outer container 11defining an outer compartment l2 storing a dispensable material X, andan ,inner container 15 defining an inner compartment 16 storing adispensable material Y. In the present illustration, for purposes ofexample only, the material X is an unscented hair spray compound of anywell-known composition and the material Y is a scented additive of anysimilarly well-known composition.

A dip tube 20 extends through the inner and outer compartments 16 and 12and, through it, the dispensable materials are permitted egress to theatmosphere by the depression of a nozzle assembly 22 connected to thetube 20. However, the depression of the nozzle assembly 22 normallyopens a pathway through the dip tube 20 to the atmosphere only from theouter compartment 12, thus allowing the dispensable material X todispense. Rotation of the nozzle cover 22 and, accordingly, the dip tube20, to a prescribed position connects both compartments 12 and 16 to thedip who 20 so that materials X and Y will simultaneously be discharged.I

Considering the aerosol dispenser 10 in more detail, the outercompartment 12 holds a chemical composition or mixture which comprisesthe basic hair spray compound and, in addition, a propellant vapor. Theinner container 1 5, formed of plastic in the present illustration, hasa thin and flexible outer wall 17 yieldable to the pressure. Thus, thepressure exerted by the propellant vapor is simultaneously exerted onthe dispensable materials X and Y in both compartments.

The dispensable materials X and Y are discharged through the nozzle'assembly 22 fastened by a connecting member 25 to the dip tube 20. Thedip tube 20 extends through the inner compartment 16 and opens into theouter compartment 12 at 24. The plastic inner container 15 is formedconcentrically about the dip tube 20 and has an inner sleeve 21 ofslightly larger diameter than the dip tube 20 so that the tube 20 fitssnugly but movably therein. The dip tube 20 contains a radial opening 32and the sleeve 21 contains a radial opening 34 farming, in effect, valvemeans. The opening 32 and 34, when in register, make possible the flowof the material Y into the axial bore 36 of the tube 20.

The inner container 15 is rigidly secured to and depends from a housing23 which forms the top closure of the outer container 11. An annularseal washer 35 is seated in the cap 27 of the housing 23 and has acentral aperture 29 therein through which a nozzle pipe 31 extends.

The nozzle pipe 31 is a component of the nozzle assembly 22 and isdepressible and rotatable with it. When the nozzle assembly 22 isdepressed, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the connecting member 25, which ishollow and has radial slots 28 formed therein, is forced downward,compressing a coil spring 30 against the bottom of the housing 23. Sincethe dip tube 20 is rigidly joined to the connecting member 25, it isalso forced downward.

An orifice 26 in the nozzle pipe 31, which is normally disposed in theseal washer 35, is moved downward into the housing 23 by the depressionof the nozzle assembly 22 effecting an opening of the valve means"formed by the orifice and washer. If the nozzle assembly 22 is rotatedto a prescribed position, as seen in FIG. 3, the ports 32 and 34 areradially aligned and depression of the tube 20 brings them intoregistry. The propellant vapor then forces both selected materials X andY into and up the axial bore 36 to the connecting member 25. Directpassage into the nozzle pipe 31 is prevented by a bulkhead 19 locatedbelow the orifice 26. in-the pipe 31 so the materials exit through theslots 28 into the housing 23. The materials X and Y then pass throughthe orifice 26 and the nozzle pipe 31 to be expelled into theatmosphere.

It should be notedhere that the dip tube 20 has a propensity to beexpelled from the dispenser by the vapor pressure in the compartment 12.However, the connecting member 25, to which the dip tube 20 is attached,is enlarged as illustrated so that it abuts the seal 35 and prevents thedip tube 20 from being expelled.

Release of downward pressure on the nozzle 22 allows the spring 30 (andvapor pressure in the dispenser 10) to force the tube 20 and connectingmember 25 upward and move the orifice 26 back into the seal washeraperture 29. The flow of materials X and Y from the dispenser is stoppeduntil the nozzle assembly is again depressed.

To provide for a visual aid in selecting whether the basic material Xalone or a combination of materials are to be dispensed, marks arelocated on the upper side wall 38 of the aerosol dispenser 10, asindicated at 39 in FIG. 3. The tip 37 of the nozzle pipe 31 is used asan indicator when aligned with one of the marks 39. In the presentillustration, the marks 39 are labelled to indicate whether plain orscented hair spray, for example, will be dispensed when the tip 37 is ina selected position.

It should be pointed out here that although the dispenser 10 isillustrated and described with a single inner compartment 16, aplurality of circumferentially separated sub-compartments might beconstructed within the container instead. In such case, of course, anyof a plurality of additive scents, for example, might be selectable.

In a second form of the present invention, there is provided. adispenser 110 embodying features of the invention and illustrated inFIG. 4 and 5. The construction of the dispenser 110 is broadly similarto that of the dispenser 10. However, the inner container 115 is axiallyseparated into two compartments 140 and 142 containing dispensablematerials B and B, respectively. The outer wall 150 of the innercompartments 140 and 142 is, in the present illustration, constructed ofa rigid material. Recalling that the wall 17 of the container 15 indispenser 10 was of flexible plastic, it must be pointed out that if theinner compartment wall is thin and flexible, only the outer compartment12 needs to contain a propellant vapor, but if the wall is rigid, thenboth inner and outer compartments must contain a propellant vapor toassure dispensing of the inner compartment additive material into theouter compartment material. An inner sleeve 121 of slightly largerdiameter than a dip tube 120, is common to both compartments 140 and142. The dip tube contains radial openings 146 and 148 communicatingwith the compartment 140 and radial openings 145 and 147 communicatingwith the compartment 142. The sleeve 121 contains radial openings 143and 144 communicating with compartments 140 and 142, respectively. Theopenings 143 and 146 or 148 when in registry, make possible the flow ofmaterial B into the axial bore 136, and similarly the openings 144 and145 or 147 when in registry, make possible the flow of material B intothe axial bore 136.

In the dispenser 1 10, in contrast to the dispenser 10, the dip tube 120and the nozzle pipe 131 are not unitary. Rather, a helical spring 130has one end rigidly secured to the top end of the separate dip tube 120and the other end rigidly secured to the lower end of a connectingmember 125, which is merely a solid, enlarged extension on the nozzlepipe 131. The dip tube 120 is retained on the housing 123 by an annularretainer slot 1.49 which is seated on a bead in the lower portion of ahousing 123. The slot 149 restricts any vertical movement of the diptube 120, but does not restrict a rotational movement occuring inconjunction with a nozzle assembly 122. Q

When the nozzle assembly 122 is depressed, the connecting member isforced downward compressing the coil spring against the bottom of thehousing 123. Since the dip tube 120 and the nozzle pipe 131 are notunitary, the dip tube 120 is notforced downward. However, an orifice 126in a seal washer 135, is moved downward into the housing 123 by thedepression of the nozzle assembly 122. Also, the depression of thenozzle assembly 122 normally opens a pathway through the dip tube 120 tothe atmosphere only from an outer compartment 112, thus allowingdispensable material to dispense-If the nozzle 122 is rotated to aprescribed position, as seen in FIG. 5, ports 143 and 146 are broughtinto registry, as seen in FIG. 6, as are ports 144 and 145 as seen inFIG. 7. Depression of the nozzle assembly 122 causes the propellantvapor to force all selected materials A, B and B into and up the axialbore 136 and into the housing 123. Since the connecting member 125 issolid, the materials A, B and B must first pass through the orifice 126and then the nozzle pipe 131 to be expelled into the atmosphere.

Release of a downward pressure on the nozzle 122 causes the orifice 126to move back into the seal 135 in a similar manner as discussed in thefirst form of the present invention. It should be noted, however, thatthe dip tube 120 does not move during this function as it is securelyretained on the housing 123.

A visual aid, similar to that described in the first form of the presentinvention, is provided, as indicated at 139 in FIG. 5. In the presentillustration, the marks 139 are labeled to indicate whether plainshaving cream or a combination of lemon and/or lime additives, forexamples, will be dispensed when the tip 137 is in a selected position.

In a third form of the present invention, there is provided an aerosoldispenser 210, shown in partial con figuration in FIG. 8. The operationof the dispenser 210 is similar to the dispenser 110 described in thesecond form of the present invention. However, the structure is somewhatmodified in that a plurality of circumferentially separated compartments2160, 216b, 2316c and 216d, each containing dispensable materials E, F,G and H, respectively, are constructed within the dispenser 210. Eachcompartment is separated from the adjacent compartments by rigid walls218a, 218b, 2180 and 218d, each terminating at the top of dispenser 210and connected to a sleeve 221 which fits snugly over the dip tube 220.It is therefore necessary for each compartment 216a, 216b, 216a and 216dto contain a separate propellant vapor to assure dispensing of materialscontained therein into the dip tube 220.

The dispensable materials are permitted to egress into the dip tube 220through ports contained in both the rotatable dip tube 220 and thesleeve 221, as described in the first and second forms of the presentinvention.

Although it is not preferred, the ports 32 and 34 in FIG. 1 may beconstructed of a series of small openings in contrast to the one largeopening illustrated. Such a modification could be incorporated into allforms of the invention described herein.

Although the various forms of the invention have been described in termsof a single dial and dip tube, it is contemplated that multiple dialcontrols with corresponding nested dip tubes and sleeves might beemployed. A wider range of selectivity would thus be afforded with adial control for each tube or sleeve.-

In addition, it will be appreciated that the aerosol dispenser maycontain a valve system without a dip tube which affords selectivity ofdispensed materials and material combinations by merely rotating thevalving mechanism to facilitate registry with one or more compartments.

Furthermore, by utilizing ports of varying sizes the dispensing rate offlow of the materials could be controlled over a wide range.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An aerosol dispenser, comprising:

a. a container having a plurality of compartments therein,

b. each of said compartments adapted to contain a dispensable material,

c. nozzle means on said container,

d. valve means in said container for controlling the escape ofdispensable material from said container through said nozzle means,

e. said valve means including a dip tube extending downwardly into saidcontainer from adjacent said nozzle means and rotatable about its axisto selec tively open and close a dispensable material outlet opening inat least one of said compartments, and

f. means for rotating said dip tube.

2. The aerosol dispenser of claim 1 further characterized in that: v

a. said clip tube extends to a free end adjacent the bottom of thecontainer and has an axial bore therein opening at said free end intoone of said compartments.

3. The aerosol dispenser of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said nozzle means and said dip tube are interconnected wherebyrotation of said nozzle means on said container 15 effective to rotatesaid dip tube about its axis.

4. The aerosol dispenser of claim 2 further characterized in that:

a. said dip tube extends through a sleeve forming a portion of at leastone of said compartments,

said dispensible material outlet opening being formed in said sleeve anda radial opening being formed through said dip tube for selectiveregistry with said sleeve opening.

5. The aerosol dispenser of claim 4 further characterized in that:

a. said sleeve forms a portion of a plurality of said compartments, 7

b. a dispensible material outlet opening being formed through saidsleeve from each of said compartments, and

c. radial openings formed in said dip tube for selective registry withsaid sleeve openings to permit the escape of dispensible material fromprescribed compartments.

6. The aerosol dispenser of claim 4 further characterized in that:

a. said sleeve means defines the axis of a plurality of compartmentsradiating outwardly from said sleeve means,

b. a dispensible material outlet opening being formed radially throughsaid sleeve means into each of said compartments.

7. The aerosol dispenser of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. at least one of said compartments has thin, flexible wall means.

1. An aerosol dispenser, comprising: a. a container having a pluralityof compartments therein, b. each of said compartments adapted to containa dispensable material, c. nozzle means on said container, d. valvemeans in said container for controlling the escape of dispensablematerial from said container through said nozzle means, e. said valvemeans including a dip tube extending downwardly into said container fromadjacent said nozzle means and rotatable about its axis to selectivelyopen and close a dispensable material outlet opening in at least one ofsaid compartments, and f. means for rotating said dip tube.
 2. Theaerosol dispenser of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said diptube extends to a free end adjacent the bottom of the container and hasan axial bore therein opening at said free end into one of saidcompartments.
 3. The aerosol dispenser of claim 1 further characterizedin that: a. said nozzle means and said dip tube are interconnectedwhereby rotation of said nozzle means on said container is effective torotate said dip tube about its axis.
 4. The aerosol dispenser of claim 2further characterized in that: a. said dip tube extends through a sleeveforming a portion of at least one of said compartments, b. saiddispensible material outlet opening being formed in said sleeve and aradial opening being formed through said dip tube for selective registrywith said sleeve opening.
 5. The aerosol dispenser of claim 4 furthercharacterized in that: a. said sleeve forms a portion of a plurality ofsaid compartments, b. a dispensible material outlet opening being formedthrough said sleeve from each of said compartments, and c. radialopenings formed in said dip tube for selective registry with said sleeveopenings to permit the escape of dispensible material from prescribedcompartments.
 6. The aerosol dispenser of claim 4 further characterizedin that: a. said sleeve means defines the axis of a plurality ofcompartments radiating outwardly from said sleeve means, b. adispensible material outlet opening being formed radially through saidsleeve means into each of said compartments.
 7. The aerosol dispenser ofclaim 1 further characterized in that: a. at least one of saidcompartments has thin, flexible wall means.